Tim Sheppard

Creative
Communications Consultancy & Training

The power of
story and narrative is crucial in communication skills, and can turn dry facts
or abstract principles into compelling material which is absorbed and remembered
by its audience. The principles of narrative tie everything together and give
it meaning. They give a powerful key to mastering skills of not just communication,
but leadership, influence, presentation, creativity, change management, conflict
management and more.

I offer a wide
range of effective training, through my own unique and long-proven experiential
techniques. Experiential learning gives people personal experience, rather than
just theory, of the key elements needed for competency in skills, so that they
learn deeply, absorb thoroughly and remember easily.

I use a wide
variety of exercises which reveal and demonstrate to participants the principles
and practices that work for them. This is backed up with theory and practical
tips so that they can continue to develop their understanding and expertise.

Training

Creativity
& Imagination

Freeing up
participants' imagination and creativity, and giving them the experience of
their full creative flow, revealing to them the often surprising extent of their
potential, and showing techniques of how to switch on such creativity, and also
to apply it. This all goes far beyond the usual creativity techniques of brainstorming
etc., and operates through many modes of learning simultaneously, thus being
effective with even those convinced they could never be imaginative. This area
also delivers remarkable steps forward in self-confidence, and in team-building.

Make real progress towards
self-confidence and ease

Break out of rigid thought-habits
and develop a natural out-of-the-box thinking

Flexibly cope with and
incorporate the unexpected, thus reducing anxiety

Be creative, responding
in the moment with fresh solutions

Develop a positive can-do
attitude that inspires, motivates, and helps yourself and others to avoid
stress

Make big steps from 'control
freak' panic to being able to trust others and yourself, even when uncertain.
Move from micro-management to healthy delegation

Discover the techniques
and courage that inspire everyone to enjoy cooperating, participating and
creating.

Story &
Influence

The nature
of story and narrative, its importance, why and how people expect to receive
all information in story-form, and how it is the most effective form for absorbing,
learning and remembering information. The building blocks of story, how to create
satisfying stories or narrative flow, and how to find the story potential within
any situation or body of information. This area also teaches fundamental skills
needed for leadership and management, as well as for creating reports and business
presentations.

Turn dry facts or abstract
principles into compelling material which is absorbed and remembered by its
audience

Understand people's expectations
- how our minds like to find meaning and have it presented

How to turn your experiences
into aids that influence even the reluctant

Discover the hidden stories
that underlie resistance and demotivation (group or individual), and learn
how to turn them into positive inspiration and motivation

Help learning to happen
without effort

How to sense the best
route through presenting your material

Understand how secrets
of narrative can give you mastery over timing and delivery style

Find out how to sidestep
barriers and conflict between groups and individuals

Bring people to genuinely
hold common goals

Take advantage of the
power of narrative for deep and lasting change

Presentation

Presenting
- both of oneself and one's ideas. Delivering with directness and clarity, cutting
through obfuscation. Communicating one's meaning and story in the most appropriate
way, whether personally or through various media. Becoming aware of the effect
of one's story or oneself on others. Facing people/groups/audiences with confidence,
and overcoming self-consciousness and anxiety. This area can deliver great improvements
in personal and social effectiveness, ability to fulfill one's place in a group,
and even charisma. It can drastically improve performance in business presentations
etc.

Present yourself - enjoy
being put on the spot and rise to the occasion with style; have presence,
establish rapport with others and hold attention; develop a sense of timing;
be recognized for whatever you have to offer

Discover the nuts and
bolts of social interaction and confidence

Discover how to be open,
effective, and compelling in interpersonal networks within a company

Corporate
Communications

My work also
extends beyond personal training and development, into the larger area of corporate
communications practices. Narrative principles are effective, and indeed essential,
in all corporate processes. I can provide consultancy on how to spread the habits
of telling stories (and listening to them!) within organizations. This is a
powerful way to facilitate the strengthening of corporate culture, or cultural
change. It can bring about a rapid improvement in consensus, negotiations, and
bridge the communication gaps across hierarchical divides. It can turn the mere
spreading of corporate messages into the meeting of minds and gaining employee
loyalty and unified vision.

Here are just
some of the areas I can help with:

Creating an environment
that humanises the workforce and corporate culture

Bringing the corporate
message and image memorably to public attention

Giving an appealing and
trustworthy human face to companies

How to generate a buzz
of positive action and atmosphere through integrity, charisma and sincere
communication

Encouraging a free flow
of practical information, company culture, and effective practice, through
a creative internal network

Cutting through the tangle
of suspicion or hidden agendas - interpersonal, inter-team, or inter-departmental

I can be brought
in as a consultant to assess the company situation, social dynamics, and needs.
Then to help encourage and modify the current culture of stories and storytelling
(often lively but negative) towards a healthy and productive company-wide dynamic,
giving necessary training so that the ethos and methods of an effective and
profitable storytelling culture can be spread.

Even the first
steps of searching out and listening to the current stories being told within
the workforce can yield enormous and unexpected benefits, helping to unify and
bond people into co-operative and loyal teams, and revealing valuable, effective
material for corporate publicity, and even strategy.

Tim Sheppard

I have been
consulted by and made keynote presentations to Cranfield Management School for
its elite business research group of blue-chip companies; and to Wildscreen,
the world conference of natural history film producers. I was a chief consultant
to the National College of School Leadership in developing their Leadership
Stories events recently, at which Greg Dyke, Director General of the BBC, was
a key participant. I have trained high-profile professionals in presentation
and story such as TV presenters, TV and film producers and editors, and writers;
also a wide variety of managers as well as public-facing professionals, e.g.
medical doctors.

I customise
training to suit the mix of skills desired, the nature and number of participants,
the time available, and the nature of the organisation. Please contact me to
discuss your requirements.

I also run
occasional popular public courses in story
and personal development. These can be booked also for private groups anywhere.